Sensitive teeth can really hurt! However, the treatment of this dental problem can often be easy. If your teeth are sensitive after eating hot and cold foods and the sensitivity goes right away, then your sensitivity will probably go away after brushing a few weeks with a desensitizing toothpaste such as Sensodyne or Denquel. A prescription flouride gel, such as PerioMed, works even better to get rid of the pain. Most of a tooth is made of a hard material called dentin. Dentin has thousands of microscopic tunnels with very small nerves running through them and these tunnels are called tubules. The body normally covers dentin but several things can happen that can unnaturally expose dentin.

           Gums recede and the dentin becomes exposed if a patient has periodontal disease or grinds. Many patient grind and do not even know it. They often strongly deny it! The grinding bends a tooth and stress the nerves at the neck of the tooth. With time the dentin can even melt away from this grinding and cause large notches on the root of a tooth. Periodontal Disease causes the gums and bone underneath the gums to become inflamed. The inflammation cause bone loss and the gums are lost with the bone. This causes the roots to become exposed and the exposure causes sensitive teeth.

          If sensitive teeth are due to periodontal disease then the periodontal disease must also be treated in addition to the sensitive teeth. Grinding is treated with a soft lower dental grinding appliance. Years ago dental hygienists used to believe that the sensitivity was due to brushing too hard. Today most toothbrushes are made with soft tufts and rounded edges. Most of the time if nothing else appears wrong, the problem is probably due to subconscious grinding. The sensitivity can also come from dental cavities and sinus infections. Cavities must be filled and sinus infections can usually be taken care of with antibiotics such as tetracycline 500 milligrams for 10 days.

         A chipped or fractured tooth can also cause sensitive teeth. Both of these problems are treated by having your dentist restore the tooth with a filling or crown. If the tooth pain does not go away immediately, there may be a more serious problem. You should see a dentist immediately if your pain persists. If you are concerned and you want to talk to an Atlanta Dental Group PC dentist, consider making an appointment by calling  404-874-7428.